Gmail is Google's free email service that offers video calling, messaging, and access across devices. While convenient, Google's terms allow them broad rights over users' data and content. Google can change policies at any time without notice, access and use customers' emails, photos and files. They also collect personal data for targeted ads. The terms are complex and failure to abide can result in account termination without compensation of lost data or contacts. Business users take on additional legal risks. Overall, Google's service comes with significant data usage and policy adherence tradeoffs for individuals and companies.

1. NET303 Policy Primer
G.Muir
October, 2013

2. Gmail is one of Google’s many products
Image courtesy of Google

3. What is Gmail?
According to Gmail....
Gmail is more than just email. “You can start a video call with a friend, ping
a colleague and write an email – all without leaving your inbox.”
“It’s always available wherever
you are, from any device desktop, laptop, phone or tablet.”
Reference: Google About page
Image courtesy of Google

4. Who uses Gmail?
Anyone can...
As long as you are over 13 years old in Australia...
Photo courtesy of Bryan Evans

5. Who uses Gmail?
- Gmail has over 425 million users
It is being used by;
- government agencies in 45 states in the USA
- 66 of the top 100 universities in USA
- and 5 million businesses worldwide have “gone Google”
Reference: TechCrunch

6. Why would you use Gmail?
- It’s FREE and offers lots of storage!
- It helps you stay in touch with family and friends
- You can connect with Google Hangouts (video)
- You can access it anywhere on desktop, laptop, tablet and mobile
- It only takes a few minutes to set up
- 425 million other people have it... so, it must be OK! Right?
References Why Gmail,

7. How to create a Gmail account in 3 easy steps
1
Fill out a form with a few standard details
such as your name, date of birth and
location.
2
Agree to the Terms of Service and
Privacy Policy. As well as a
Personalisation policy.
3
Upload a photo
Screenshot taken September 15, 2013

8. But... what did I just agree to?
Photo courtesy of Nicholas Raymond

9. But... what did I just agree to?
Google uses
colloquial, friendly
language to make you
feel at ease through
the sign up process.
Screenshot taken September 15, 2013

10. But... what did I just agree to?
Here are 6 “Policies and Principles”
under the microscope...
Reference https://www.google.com/intl/en/policies/terms/

11. Google Policies and Principles
1 Changes to their policies
Google changes their policies without
contacting you to let you know.
The Privacy Policy has
changed 13 times since 1999, on average
this is once a year, so updates occur quite
frequently.
It is your responsibility to check the terms
regularly and understand the legal jargon
because when they are updated you have
automatically agreed to them.
Screenshot taken September 15, 2013

12. Google Policies and Principles
2 Your content
Google and the companies they work with
have permission to re-produce, display and
modify content you attach to emails and send
via Gmail.
This includes your personal photos,
confidential business documents and any
creative works! So, essentially you own the
Intellectual Property Rights, but they can
“borrow” it.
Whilst they don’t actively monitor all content, if
they deem any of your content illegal (e.g.
through keyword algorithmic searches) they
can remove it and refuse to display it.
Image courtesy of Brian Ford

13. Google Policies and Principles
3 Loosing all of your contacts and data
Google can add and remove features and
functionality of Gmail or discontinue the
service altogether.
If they do, you could loose all of your
personal contacts, emails and data and
you can not hold Google responsible.
Image courtesy of Sparky

14. Google Policies and Principles
4 Account termination
Google can terminate your account if
they believe you are misusing their
service. Misuse is not well defined, so
therefore pretty subjective.
It can include;
- sending inappropriate content, such
as material that is defamatory, abusive,
fraudulent
- sharing intellectual property without
the owner’s permission
Image courtesy of Sparky
- distributing spam

15. Google Policies and Principles
5 Your personal information
Google collects personal data on you such as
such as your phone number, location and the
content you like unless you go to their Policies
page and “opt out of cookies”. This is hard to
find to do and not promoted on their products.
They collect your data so they can advertise
products and services that you are likely to be
interested in. And because the ads are
specifically targeted at you, they can charge a
higher premium because you are more likely to
be interested. So, your data is making them
money!
Image courtesy of Vince Lamb

16. Google Policies and Principles
6 Spam
You can opt of some email
communication from Gmail, but not
everything. So, Google can send you
emails about what ever they like, when
ever they like.
Image courtesy of: epSOS.de

17. Google Policies and Principles
7 Business use
The 5 million businesses that use Google
services are responsible for ensuring their
staff adhere to Google’s ever changing and
complex policies.
If a business decides to take Google to
court, they must pay for all Google’s legal
expenses and financial loses. So, it is
probably better not to go fight Google...
Image courtesy of Department for Business

18. Do you still want a Gmail account?
Image courtesy of Teachers Learners

19. References
This presentation is liscened under
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/